WMDshttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/taxonomy/term/1584/all
enProposals put forward for international control of Syria's CBWshttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/19028
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<p>Both the United Nations and Russia are independently involved in plans to push the Syrian regime to put chemical weapons under international control.</p>
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<p>Both the United Nations and Russia are independently involved in plans to push the Syrian regime to put chemical and biological weapons stocks (CBWs) under international control.</p>
<p>The aim would be to ensure that CBWs are not used again in the bloody conflict engulfing the country, and also to avert punitive US-led military strikes and their possibly dangerous consequences for the region.</p>
<p>UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said today (9 September 2013) that if his organisation's experts concluded that chemicals had been used in attacks on 21 August, he would consider asking the Security Council to set up a zone in Syria where the weapons could be destroyed.</p>
<p>Others have pressed for Assad to immediately sign the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and ratify the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), and for evidence of the use of such weapons to be put into the hands of the UNSC and the International Criminal Court.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Russia, as a member of the UNSC which has consistently opposed military action against Syria – the country that houses its own remaining bases in the Middle East – is now publicly calling on the country to put its chemical weapons stockpiles under international control as a prelude to their destruction.</p>
<p>The proposal arose in talks over the weekend between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem.</p>
<p>US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has refused direct talks with Mr Muallem, had said that Syria could avoid a US-led attack by handing over its chemical weapons "within the next week". </p>
<p>However, since the UN and Russian proposals have been made public, a spokesperson for Mr Kerry has insisted that his comment was "rhetorical", and sources within both the State Department and the UK Foreign Office have begun briefing against the idea idea of a international control and destruction, saying it is "unworkable" and "would allow the regime infinite possibilities for obfuscation". </p>
<p>Marie Harf, the State Department's main pro-war spin doctor, has said that the Secretary of State "was making a rhetorical statement about a scenario that we think is highly unlikely."</p>
<p>But critics of military intervention say that a properly monitored way of dealing with chemical weapons is far preferable to strikes which, the US claims, will "degrade" and "disable" them without specifying how this could be done – and in particular how it could be done without risking further civilian casualties and conflagration. </p>
<p>Israel, which has supplied the bulk of questionable intelligence being deployed by the US – questioned by recent German intelligence, and clashing significantly with statements from both the UK and France – seems determined to encourage a strike against its long standing enemy Syria, which it also hopes will weaken both Iran and Hezbollah. Its allies have been heavily involved in briefings over the weekend to persuade Congress members to vote for Mr Obama's intervention proposals.</p>
<p>The US government seems likely finally to seek to dismiss the latest WMD disarmament ideas by utilising heavy scepticism towards both Russia and the UN in Congress and among the American public, by seeking to impose an unrealistic timetable, or by trying simply to sideline them. However, President Obama said that he would give them initial "consideration". </p>
<p>* More on Syria from Ekklesia: <a href="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/syria" title="http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/syria">http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/syria</a></p>
<p>[Ekk/3]</p>
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Living EconomyPeace and NonviolenceNews Briefchemical weaponsRussiarussianSyriasyrianunited nationsWMDsWorld NewsMon, 09 Sep 2013 17:13:44 +0000staff writers19028 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukBurghfield Disarmament Camp protests continuehttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/19003
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<p>The Burghfield Disarmament Camp today continued its protest outside AWE Burghfield with an (almost) nude action near the main gate.</p>
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<p>The Burghfield Disarmament Camp today continued its protest outside AWE Burghfield with an (almost) nude action near the main gate. </p>
<p>Seven activists exposed the naked truth of nuclear weapons production and maintenance at AWE Burghfield by stripping almost naked, exposing the slogan "Exposing Britain's WMDs" on their bare backs.</p>
<p>The protest has been jointly organised by Action AWE and Trident Ploughshares.</p>
<p>Ministry of Defence (MoD) police rushing to the scene ordered the protesters to cover up and to move to a "designated protest area" provided near the fence. The protesters complied with the request, and continued their action in the designated protest area.</p>
<p>Dr Rownland Dye, a former nuclear scientist and one of the participants in the action, said: "The police was more concerned about our almost naked bodies than about the nuclear weapons factory behind them. If something would go wrong at AWE Burghfield, just outside Reading, then this could have serious longtime consequences for the population of Reading and well beyond."</p>
<p>Shelley Qua, another participant in the action, added: "We would rather spend more money on clothes than seeing £100 billion being spent on Trident replacement. Or to put it more seriously: while £100 billion is being spent on replacing Trident, a lot of people get their urgently needed benefits cut and are not able to afford decent clothing or food. To me, this is much more offensive than our naked bodies."</p>
<p>Almudena Izquierdo, an activist from Madrid in Spain who also joined the action, said: "Nuclear weapons and Trident replacement are far from being a local or just British issue. Radiation does not know or respect orders, and the renewal of Trident is a violation of international law – the commitment to nuclear disarmament enshrined in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."</p>
<p>Activities of the Burghfield Disarmament Camp will continue on Friday 6 September 2013, 12pm, in Reading Centre in pedestrian area near John Lewis in the form of a creative performance against Trident renewal and for nuclear disarmament.</p>
<p>[Ekk/3]</p>
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Peace and NonviolencePeople and PowerNews Briefanti-nuclearBurghfieldnuclear weaponsprotestUK NewsWMDsThu, 05 Sep 2013 18:45:38 +0000staff writers19003 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukUS Anabaptists come out against depleted uranium weaponshttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/5458
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<p>The US Church of the Bretheren, an Anabaptist denomination, has called for the outlawing of depleted uranium weapons and has backed anti-war initiatives from Christian Peacemaker Teams and the World Council of Churches.</p>
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<p>A resolution against the use of depleted uranium weapons has been issued by the Church of the Brethren General Board. The action from the US Anabaptist came at a meeting held in conjunction with the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in Cleveland, Ohio.</p>
<p>Declaring the use of depleted uranium weapons to be "a specific and compelling example of the sinfulness of war," the resolution appeals for a halt to their manufacture, lifts up efforts of Christian Peacemaker Teams and the World Council of Churches with regard to depleted uranium weapons, and directs the Brethren Witness/Washington Office to advocate for elimination of such weapons, among other actions.</p>
<p>Phil Jones, director of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, introduced the resolution as a partnership with Christian Peacemaker Teams and the World Council of Churches, which both have worked against depleted uranium weapons and/or have made statements regarding use of the weapons.</p>
<p>The resolution states that "the primary danger of using depleted uranium in weapons comes from breathing in the depleted uranium dust created by burning or exploded weaponry, or from ingesting depleted uranium dust that has contaminated the food or water supply. A growing body of evidence suggests such exposure may increase a person's cancer risk and cause birth defects."</p>
<p>The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community. It is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. </p>
<p>It celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2008. The COB counts almost 130,000 members across the US and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Haiti, and India.</p>
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Beliefs and ValuesPeace and NonviolenceNews BriefanabaptistsChurch of the Brethrendepleted uraniumusaweapons of mass destructionWMDsWorld NewsTue, 17 Jul 2007 02:13:10 +0000staff writers5458 at http://www.ekklesia.co.ukStop Trident replacement, the actress said to the bishophttp://www.ekklesia.co.uk/news/UK/070215tridentactress
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<p>Well-known thespian Emma Thompson and Anglican Bishop of Southwark Tom Butler are among 100 public figures spanning the arts, science, politics, academia, the churches and civic life who have joined together to oppose Prime Minister Tony Blair's plans to spend vast amounts of money on replacing Britain's Trident nuclear fleet.</p>
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<p>Well-known thespian Emma Thompson and Anglican Bishop of Southwark Tom Butler are among 100 public figures spanning the arts, science, politics, academia, the churches and civic life who have joined together to oppose Prime Minister Tony Blair‚Äôs plans to spend vast amounts of money on replacing Britain‚Äôs Trident nuclear fleet.</p>
<p>Labour and the Tories are officially committed to a new generation of submarine-launched nuclear missiles which will cost ¬£65 billion over a 30 year period of service. Critics say the system is expensive, useless, destabilizing and dangerous in an age of asymmetric warfare and terror. </p>
<p>Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, Catholic Cardinal Keith O‚ÄôBrien, and the former head of the Dominican Order, Bishop Timothy Radcliffe, joined Bishop Butler as the Christian signatories.</p>
<p>Perhaps the biggest name on the list is that of astrophysics Professor Stephen Hawking, author of the best-selling ‚ÄòA Brief History of Time‚Äô and successor in the academic chair once held by Isaac Newton. </p>
<p>Professor Hawking declared: "Nuclear war remains the greatest danger to the survival of the human race. To replace Trident would make it more difficult to get arms reduction. It would also be a waste of money because there are no circumstances in which we would use it independently."</p>
<p>British and Irish churches are overwhelmingly united in opposition to Trident. But the government, including likely future PM and Scottish Presbyterian minister‚Äôs son Gordon Brown, are determined to push the proposal through.</p>
<p>Critics say that they are ignoring public opinion and massaging the facts in ways which are analogous to the ‚Äòdodgier dossier‚Äô rationale for what has turned out to be a disastrous war, occupation and civil chaos in Iraq.</p>
<p>The issue has galvanized independent-minded politicians across the party divides, with Menzies Campbell (Liberal Democrat leader), Lord Archer QC (Conservative) and Dianne Abbott (Labour) joining green and anti-poverty activists.</p>
<p>The letter includes the following pledge:</p>
<p>We believe that - </p>
<p>* Britain should not be rushed into a premature decision to replace its Trident nuclear weapons system; </p>
<p>* More time should be taken for parliamentary and public scrutiny and debate; </p>
<p>* The urgent need is both to halt the spread of nuclear weapons to new countries, and for all states which possess them to move more rapidly and substantially towards nuclear disarmament; </p>
<p>* The priority for the Government should be a renewed diplomatic initiative to seek a breakthrough in disarmament and non-proliferation negotiations, similar to the lead it has taken in relation to such global challenges as climate change and poverty.</p>
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Beliefs and ValuesPeace and NonviolencePeople and PowerNews Briefanti-nuclearCampaign for Nuclear Disarmamentcampaigneethicsnuclear weaponspublic spendingtridentUK NewsWMDsThu, 15 Feb 2007 10:38:28 +0000staff writers666 at http://www.ekklesia.co.uk